Destiny of Untouchable Love
by SoonChaos
Summary: Kaoru possess a secret power and is the government's weapon in killing Shishio. She is guarded by her bodyguard, Kenshin, and a romance begins to blossom. But how can love survive when he does not know the true secrets behind Kaoru's strange powers?
1. Assignment

Assignment  
  
The dark room was impeccably neat despite the disheveled man sitting behind an old desk. His back was turned, staring out of a window that overlooked a cluster of sakura trees. The pink blossoms fluttered to and fro from a gentle wind that swayed the tree's branches. When the man turned around to face the door before him there stood a man who had not been there a minute ago. The man behind the desk appeared to not be surprised at all by the sudden appearance of a stranger. The stranger donned a white hakama and a magenta gi that accented his red brown hair and lavender eyes.  
  
"You came." he said, his voice emitting a sense of power and expectations.  
  
"What is my assignment?"  
  
The stranger's voice was low and quiet, giving an idea that he was always calm and thoughtful.  
  
"A girl."  
  
"You know I don't do regular bodyguard work." His voice gave away no sign of impatience, but his strange lavender eyes gleamed from the fading sun outside.  
  
"She's special."  
  
"A wife of some powerful politician?"  
  
"No...the savior of our country."  
  
"What powers does she possess?"  
  
The man took a long pause.  
  
"She's...a soulsucker."  
  
"Soulsucker?"  
  
"There is just one left and that's her."  
  
"Why do I need to protect her if she can already kill with one touch?"  
  
"She's our weapon for Shishio. Considering all our previous attempts, nothing short of taking his soul will outright kill him. If she gets assassinated before she can touch him then we have little chances of ever crushing Shishio's revolution. Your assignment is to guard her day and night till she fulfills her mission. I have handpicked several other bodyguards but you will be the head leader of it. You will protect her at all costs. Understand, Battousai?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The man leaned back in his chair and gave a small sigh.  
  
"She is outside by the sakura trees, go and protect her."  
  
The stranger was turning to leave when the man said one more thing.  
  
"Your bodyguards will all be meeting here tomorrow afternoon, be ready."  
  
The stranger silently closed the door behind him and the man relaxed, rubbing his eyes with his aristocratic hands.  
  
"Damn assassin...scares the crap outta me every time."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He found his way to the sakura garden easily enough and could spot a young girl sitting on a bench. She was wearing a dark purple yukata with pink blossoms sprinkled on the edges of the bottom. There was a long white scarf that covered most of her face, leaving just her eyes and a part of her nose out. Her blue hair was waist length and flowed with the wind that brushed along her clothes. She turned her head to him upon feeling someone staring at her and the Battousai was almost taken back by her eyes. There was a lonely sorrow in those radiant blue eyes, which quickly switched to curiosity when she saw him. She got up, gave a polite bow to him, and sat back down.  
  
He then noticed she was wearing what appeared to be matching white gloves to the scarf. She didn't say a word, as if she already knew who he was and the reason to why he was there. There was nothing particularly interesting about the small grove of trees but her eyes latched on to the petals as if they had a special meaning to her. This quietness went on till the sun had finally settled down for the night to rise. She stood up and faced the Battousai, the wind catching the scarf's tail and letting it ripple in the breeze.  
  
"And you are?"  
  
"Your bodyguard."  
  
"Ah, I see. I am Kamiya Kaoru."  
  
He didn't say anything.  
  
"You won't give your name?"  
  
"There is no need for it."  
  
"Very well, you can tell me when you feel ready. Shall we go back into the house?"  
  
She led the way without a word and opened the door. Her hand quickly let go of the door handle when he held it open. She led him upstairs and stopped before a pair of doors.  
  
"The room across from mine will be your quarters and the other bodyguards. If you will excuse me, I must retire for the night. Oyasuminasai, nameless one."  
  
Her eyes twinkled with humor and she entered her rooms. He opened the doors to his quarters and found a handful of interconnecting rooms. They were small and comfortably furnished, enough for four people including himself. He went through every room to remember his settings then exited the room to knock at Kaoru's door. In a few seconds she opened it, still dressed in her yukata but without a scarf. Further observation showed a delicate face that looked as easy to smile, as it was to cry. She still had the gloves on.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I need to check the rooms, and I will be sleeping here tonight."  
  
Her eyes grew hard and he could see a stubborn strength in them.  
  
"If you are to be guarded by assassins then you cannot sleep alone. The best time to kill is always at night."  
  
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"I can see your point, but will you be in the exact same room that I sleep in? Or one connected to it?"  
  
"The same room. I take no chances when it comes to assassins."  
  
She let out the breath and opened her eyes. He was expecting her to shout and yell about the new conditions but she didn't. She opened the door wider to let him in, careful to stay back from his passing figure.  
  
"This is just the sitting room, my bedroom is the door on the right."  
  
He looked around carefully, taking in everything. There was a redwood table that had several books scattered on it. Some watercolors of forests decorated the white walls. Other than that, it was as simply furnished as his quarters. He opened the doors to her bedroom to see a large futon in the middle of the room and many windows around the walls. There were two chests of clothes and a long mirror.  
  
"You aren't sleeping in your bedroom."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Too many windows, it makes it easier for several assassins to come in at once. Also, if the glass breaks, it can easily land on your body."  
  
She stared at her bed, as if contemplating whether or not it was all worth it, then nodded her head.  
  
"For how long will we have to go about doing this?"  
  
"Till your job is done."  
  
He almost wished he hadn't said those words...almost. The aura of the room plummeted and he suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.  
  
"My job, huh?"  
  
She looked at him with critical eyes.  
  
"I hope that was a joke."  
  
When he didn't say anything, a flash of regret passed her eyes and she turned her head away.  
  
"You wouldn't understand."  
  
"Understand what?"  
  
"The meaning of your own words."  
  
*Please review~! This is a totally new idea that I've never pursued before. And if anything is confusing, here is the basic story: Kaoru possesses the power to take someone's soul and put it in herself, but in doing so, it will kill her as well as the other person. She can't touch ANYBODY, or else she might suck his or her soul. And of course...Hehehe...romance grows between Kenshin and Kaoru, but it can't go anywhere because she can't touch anybody. 


	2. Arrivals

Arrivals  
  
She didn't say anything after that and the night went on in extreme discomfort. How was it that one girl could make him feel so...so guilty? As if he had said or done something severely wrong. She remained composed and distant till she fell asleep. And even then, the feeling of disapproval never left. Her sleeping face was troubled, as if something in her dreams was bothering her. And for the rest of the night he listened to the tossing and turning of her restless body. He didn't care. He shouldn't care. And he couldn't care. Going for so long without concerning for anybody but himself, he had grown selfish. He knew it and he didn't care what anybody thought. In his opinion, everybody around him was insignificant and foolish.  
  
Even seeing the everyday actions and hearing the opinions of anybody made him aggravated in a second. But his calculated mind remained patient, though not tolerant. How much longer would it take before this girl became unworthy and unimportant in his eyes? He had yet to know and yet to figure it out. But he was disturbed of his thoughts by the slight change in her breathing. She was awake. Her eyes fluttered open in the dark and she silently sat up. He closed his eyes and gave the appearance of sleep. He could feel her eyes on him, watching for any signs of awakening. She slid the blankets off and started to open the door and left. He stealthily followed her all the way to the cluster of sakura trees from before.  
  
Keeping a wary eye on her, he took a deep breath of the biting cold morning air. It was a few minutes before the sunrise and he could see the black sky turning purple. She sat on her bench from before and watched the east for the orb to fill the heavens. His hand quickly went to his sword as he felt the tiny crackling of shoes on leaves. A young boy stepped into the small cluster of trees and started walking towards Kaoru. Kenshin was there in less than a second with his sword on the boy's chest. The boy gave no look of surprise or terror and gave a broad smile.  
  
"Could you put that sword down? He hasn't done anything!" Kaoru exclaimed.  
  
Kenshin didn't falter for a second and kept his eyes on the boy.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Soujirou."  
  
"What is your business here?"  
  
A sword was out in a second and Kenshin blocked it easily.  
  
"A bodyguard of course."  
  
Kaoru walked between the two and pushed their swords down. Soujirou sheathed his sword and gave a bow to her.  
  
"For Kami's sake, you guys are on the same side so stop this bickering."  
  
"We were never bickering, just merely stating our positions."  
  
"Which I would never question, leader." Soujirou said, his eyes cheerfully twinkling.  
  
Kenshin gruffly put his sword away and grabbed Kaoru by the arm. She flinched and scooted away from him.  
  
"Don't ever touch me again, ever." she said in a terrified voice.  
  
"And don't ever get in front of my sword again, got it? Or I just might forget you're my assignment and cut you up."  
  
"And why can't I? Soujirou is innocent and you're acting like he is some criminal."  
  
"He could be posing as a bodyguard. You're too trusting."  
  
"Better than being too cynical." Kaoru shot back.  
  
Kenshin moved closer and grew about a foot in her eyes.  
  
"Don't ever question me. You don't know anything and you're too innocent to even comprehend what kind of people are out there."  
  
Despite his cold words and threatening tone behind his voice, she didn't back down and cower.  
  
"You don't know me enough to say that. I have eyes too and I know exactly what kind of world this is. Just because you've seen more horrors than anybody else doesn't mean we are all blind. You don't understand anything." she spat out in contempt. Though her words were arguing against what he said, he felt like there was a different meaning with her anger. Her eyes looked like she was reliving a nightmare and her hands were trembling. Soujirou moved closer to comfort her but she moved away from him.  
  
"I'm going inside. Thanks to you, I missed the sunrise."  
  
He followed several feet behind her and Soujirou followed in step behind him.  
  
"You pushed her." Soujirou said in a matter of fact voice.  
  
"Why should I care?"  
  
Soujirou shook his head in reproach.  
  
"If you only knew."  
  
"And just what should I know?"  
  
Kenshin's voice dropped and grew icy with annoyance. His eyes started to turn gold and Soujirou noted them carefully.  
  
"It is not my place to tell. Now, shall we catch up with Kaoru and protect her?"  
  
Kenshin was gone in a blur and inside the house, leaving Soujirou all alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaoru was chatting amiably with a tall man with a white trench coat. There was a kodachi hanging from his belt and he stood with the confidence of a skilled warrior. The easy familiarity between the two evidently showed that they knew each other from before. Kaoru's eyes were shining and she was grinning happily. The man's face was like a blank slate but he managed to pull off a small smile for her. He said something and Kaoru stopped talking, an upset look on her face.  
  
"You can stop stalking around now." she called out.  
  
Kenshin glided out from the shadows of a column. The man looked at him and Kenshin could tell that he knew Kenshin had been there all along.  
  
"Don't worry, Aoshi is my bodyguard, not some evil man lurking around the mansion." Kaoru drawled, sarcasm clearly showing.  
  
"So you must be the Battousai?"  
  
"Is that your name?" Kaoru asked, all sarcasm gone.  
  
"It is a name I have not used for a long time."  
  
Aoshi was about to comment on that but Kaoru stopped him with a hand.  
  
"It's ok, there is no need to bring up any memories at the moment. He will speak when he feels like it. Shall we have breakfast Aoshi-sama?"  
  
"Yes, lead the way Kaoru-chan."  
  
The door opened behind Kenshin and he didn't need to need to turn around to know it was Soujirou.  
  
"Ah, Aoshi-sama is here already. Now all that's left is Sano. Come leader; let's have some breakfast. Walking in the morning always makes me hungry."  
  
Kenshin gave a mental scowl at Soujirou's cheerfulness and strode to the dining room. The dining room had many windows that let in steams of bright sunlight in. There were place settings for four and the rest were already sitting. Kenshin took a seat at the head of the table and gave another mental scowl. Why were there so many windows in this mansion? Didn't they know that more windows meant more access to the mansion itself?  
  
"What are you frowning for?" Kaoru asked.  
  
Aoshi and Soujirou politely ate their meal but Kaoru wouldn't leave him alone.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.  
  
"It's nothing." he said.  
  
"No, there is something wrong if you look so vexed." she stated.  
  
"Don't assume to know me."  
  
Kaoru rolled her eyes and lifted her chopsticks with a gloved hand. He stopped eating for a second to note this. Gloves outside were perfectly normal, but while eating? Surely she doesn't need to be so cautious? Kaoru put down her chopsticks.  
  
"For Kami's sake, just tell me what's wrong."  
  
"It's nothing." he said and started eating again.  
  
"Just tell me. You keep staring at me and frowning, is there something wrong with me?"  
  
"Why do you wear gloves while eating?" he confessed.  
  
Not expecting such a question her annoyed look withdrew and her face became emotionless.  
  
"My hands get cold very easily."  
  
She was lying. He could tell right away she was, but for what reason? He was aware that she could kill with a touch, but why was she being so cautious? The other bodyguards must already know if her power so they would of course stay away from her skin. But she was hiding something. Kaoru got up.  
  
"Well, I'm done. If anybody is looking for me, I'll be reading a book in the library."  
  
"Stop." he said.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Two bodyguards needs to be with you at all times."  
  
Soujirou stood up.  
  
"I can go with her."  
  
"And me." Aoshi said, standing up as well.  
  
"Fine, leave then." he said harshly.  
  
Kaoru mumbled under her breath about bad tempered bodyguards as she led the two men to the library.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's so good to see you again Aoshi-sama. I still can't believe how lucky I am."  
  
"When I heard about your situation, I knew I had to come."  
  
"Well, it is fortunate for me that you took the job."  
  
"I trust very few to look after you."  
  
Kaoru gave a grin and opened the library doors. There were two stories of wooden shelves with an iron ladder leading to the second floor. The library was literally packed with hardcover books that looked expensive and unused. Plush leather armchairs and couches decorated the simply furnished room. An exquisitely done chandelier made of glass hung on the ceiling. And tall windows let in a good amount of light to read in. Kaoru walked around with the air of someone who knew the library like the back of her hand. Soujirou walked to the window and looked outside.  
  
"It's a beautiful day, isn't?"  
  
"A day like any other, but special just the same." Kaoru said from the second floor.  
  
"What book are you looking for, Kaoru-chan?" Aoshi asked.  
  
Kaoru walked down the stairs and showed the book to Aoshi.  
  
"A book of spells?" he said.  
  
"I'm just doing a little researching."  
  
"On your power. Am I correct?" Soujirou called out from the window.  
  
"Very sharp Soujirou-kun."  
  
"Exactly what are you looking for?" Aoshi asked.  
  
Kaoru looked down at the book in her hand, a little hesitant on what to say.  
  
"A way to survive." she admitted.  
  
*Ah, now more info on Kaoru's power is coming up. But Kenshin is of course oblivious to the real secrets behind her power. But he'll find out wayy later, much later than anybody else. The only reason Soujirou and Aoshi will know first is because Kaoru trusts and likes them better. Review please!!! 


	3. Truth

The Truth  
  
"What did you say?" Aoshi said in a quiet voice becoming slightly dangerous.  
  
"A way to survive." she repeated.  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"You don't know, do you?"  
  
"Kaoru, just tell me." his voice growing demanding.  
  
"I can't, it will just bring more trouble. And please don't ask anymore."  
  
"Kaoru." Soujirou said from behind her, his eyes never leaving the window. "He will understand, though he may be against it."  
  
"You know?" Kaoru said, wide eyed in surprise.  
  
"Let's just say I know my history."  
  
"Tell me now Kaoru." said Aoshi.  
  
She paused for a minute, wondering if it would be the right thing to do. Looking at Aoshi's impatient face she decided to tell.  
  
"You know that with one touch of my skin I can suck out anybody's soul, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"When I do, I take it into myself and that creates an imbalance in my body. With the energy of two souls, my body won't be able to take such immense energy and I...I die."  
  
Aoshi's piercing gaze made her uncomfortable.  
  
"It's why they've been so nice to me lately. Making the last of my days more pleasant before my job with Shishio is done."  
  
Kaoru gave a brave smile but was suddenly being shook by Aoshi.  
  
"You little idiot, you're dying for the sake of the government?" Aoshi said in a strained voice.  
  
Kaoru gently put a gloved hand on Aoshi's arm and pushed his hands off.  
  
"Please, don't touch me. I don't want to take any chances."  
  
"Damn it. Damn it." Aoshi said, his fists clenched and aching for something to punch.  
  
"I'm not dying for the government, I'm dying for the people who have been affected by Shishio's wrongdoings. Someone needs to stop him."  
  
Aoshi's fist clenched harder but Soujirou put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You know that there is nothing you can do but protect her till the fated day. He is an opponent that even we cannot beat physically. Kaoru has come to accept what she has to do, so you must as well."  
  
"How the hell can you take this all so calmly?"  
  
"There is no other way."  
  
Aoshi looked Kaoru's calm eyes and took a deep mental breath. He relaxed his hands and closed his eyes.  
  
"Damn it. You have so much to live for."  
  
"Aoshi-sama, you know as well as I that how I live isn't a full life. This is what I am destined for and I can't stop it. Nobody can take my place because I'm the only one."  
  
Aoshi gave another sigh and opened his eyes.  
  
"You're right, I am against it. But I hate being powerless."  
  
Kaoru's eyes shimmered.  
  
"That makes the two of us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kenshin took a light nap in his rooms. A light nap to him meant merely closing his eyes and putting his mind at a cautious rest. A sort of meditation that always worked on his tired reserves. He wondered if the two bodyguards were guarding Kaoru well enough. He couldn't fully rest, knowing that there were strangers downstairs looking after an ignorant girl. He finally gave up and started to head downstairs. *If you want something done right, do it yourself* He could hear a strained voice talking loudly.  
  
The thick library doors were made of a heavy wood and greatly muffled the sounds inside. Eavesdropping was something he never liked to do so he opened the doors without knocking. Soujirou and Aoshi were gathered around Kaoru. Soujirou looked calm and cheerful as always, but Aoshi...Aoshi looked troubled and angry. Kenshin could see a strain in Kaoru's emotionless face. She was trying very hard to keep her face blank and unreadable.  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought you said two bodyguards were enough for me."  
  
He swore mentally. He couldn't think of an excuse, and he couldn't flat out say he didn't trust the other men. Aoshi saved him by walking towards the library door.  
  
"I need time to think, you may take my place."  
  
He brushed passed in a hurry and left to go outside. Kaoru stared at Aoshi's back till it was out of her sight, regret showing in her eyes. What had happened during the time he had been gone? An argument perhaps? Kaoru looked at the book in her hands and hugged the cover to her chest, hiding the title from his eyes. Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly at her act but didn't say anything.  
  
"Perhaps I should go after Aoshi-sama and talk to him?" Soujirou asked.  
  
"If you want, you may go Soujirou." Kaoru said blankly.  
  
Soujirou wordlessly followed after Aoshi and closed the doors behind him. The two left in the room silently stood for a few seconds till Kaoru moved towards the windowsill. She sat down, leaned her back against the fluffy cushions and began to skim through the book. Kenshin watched her every movement while still keeping his senses up and alert.  
  
"Stop staring at me," she said without looking up from the book. "You can go and read a book if you want, but don't just stand there and stare. You're making me nervous."  
  
"Why was Aoshi upset?"  
  
Kaoru laid her book down on her lap.  
  
"Why do you keep on prying into my life?"  
  
She had a good point, why was he prying into someone's business? An act that he never would have done before, but doing now in the presence of her. Something about her made him wonder what secrets she held. Why she went about doing strange things and trying to make up weak lies for it. Why why why. He suddenly felt like he loathed her. This girl raised too many questions in him, when he had always been sure of himself before. The feeling of being unsure and unconfident was making him feel like he was loosing his strong grip on the world.  
  
Control was something he had always prized above everything in his life and to start loosing that? It was unacceptable.  
  
"You're right, why should I pry into your business?" he said in the coldest voice he could muster. Kaoru was taken back by how icy he sounded. She had only meant to ask why he was prying. *Am I offending him or something? *  
  
"Your life is of no significance to me and I only intend to get my job done."  
  
"That's right. You must get YOUR job done and I must get MINE done as well." Kaoru said bitterly.  
  
"My apologies for ever making you doubt your JOB, bodyguard." she continued. She closed the book and stormed out of the room. Did he imagine it, or did he see the glitter of a tear on her cheek?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaoru miserably walked to the front door when it swung open. She jumped away just in time to avoid being hit in the face with the door, only to trip over the ends of her kimono and fall.  
  
A hand caught her waist just in time and effortlessly pulled her up. She looked up into the eyes of a hardened but jovial man with the wildest hair she had ever seen. His clothes said everything about his history. They were the clothes of a street fighter but were kept clean and well mended.  
  
"Sorry about that, you ok?"  
  
"Yes, thank you for catching me...oh!"  
  
Kaoru jumped out of his grasp and bumped into someone's chest. She turned her face to look at the amber eyes of her bodyguard. *Gold eyes? But his eyes are lavender, why did they change? *  
  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
  
The wild haired man gave a grin.  
  
"So it's true, the Battousai is the leader."  
  
"That is a name I do not go by anymore."  
  
"Sorry about that. I'm Sano, one of the bodyguards."  
  
"A common street fighter?" Kenshin said, showing a tinge of disdain.  
  
Kaoru could feel her blood boiling at how he was treating Sano.  
  
"You jerk! Don't sound so high and almighty just because you're a swordsman. A street fighter can have the equal skills as any!"  
  
"And why," Kenshin asked, glowering. "Are you defending him?"  
  
"Your arrogance tires me and you judge people too quickly by how they look. Outside qualities don't always show who the person is within."  
  
"You trust people to much." he argued.  
  
"At least I trust people."  
  
Kenshin glared furiously and could feel his hand unknowingly inch towards his sword. Sano noticed this and stepped in.  
  
"Hey man, no hurting the assignment. So put that hand down or we might have a little conflict right here."  
  
"Street fighters." Kenshin spat out as he spun around and walked to his room.  
  
"Swordsmen." Kaoru replied right back in the exact same disgust.  
  
*That arrogant but undeniably handsome Kenshin has done it again, pissed off Kaoru. But don't worry; romance is going to start soon. Review!!!! 


	4. Sooner the Better

Sooner the Better  
  
It was the lulling darkness of the night. All in the house were asleep, except one man.  
  
Soujirou, Aoshi, and Sano were all sleeping in Kaoru's room, their futons strewn about. He  
  
watched her dozing figure as the rythmic sounds of her calm breathing eased his tense  
  
muscles. The night was long and the only thing he could do was keep his vigil and watch her.  
  
But watching Kaoru was a harder task than he could imagine. For such a simple and average  
  
girl in daylight, she managed to become a goddess in the night. Tiny flickers of moonlight  
  
danced around her elegant face and he was captured. A subtle feeling of emotion spreaded  
  
through his eyes and started to turn them into amber. With over a decade of just fighting and  
  
killing, he had never had the luxory of indulging in his supressed feelings. He had been in the  
  
presence of some of the most beautiful and most desired women in Japan, and he had felt  
  
nothing then. Why now? She infuriated him with her defiances and pathetic morals that  
  
always got in the way with what he wanted. She was breaking apart the control that he always  
  
held in life by just arguing with him. She, a weak and useless little girl, wreaking chaos in him,  
  
a master swordsman who had no equal. Everything about her made him angry and frustrated.  
  
And yet, here and now, those feelings of hate felt like....desire. Not a desire of sexual  
  
pleasures, but a desire for love. She had defended everybody in this house from his crude  
  
remarks. Everybody but himself. Did she hate him as he had hated her? He suddenly wanted  
  
to know. His grip on his sword's sheath tightened. *What the hell am I thinking? She's an  
  
assignment, just an assignment* But as he sat, watching her calmly breathing, all traces of  
  
hate faded. He could feel his soul yearning inside for something. Something that was out of his  
  
reach and out of the controlled world he knew so well.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Shishio's fortress lies in the northwest here."  
  
The owner of the mansion pointed at a map in front of him. All eyes were attentively on his  
  
finger.  
  
"We want to get there as quietly and as secretly as we can. Trains and wagons are out of the  
  
question, Shishio has got spies everywhere on the road. Which is why I am asking you four to  
  
take Kaoru through the forest. She'll be safer that way, though it will take longer to get to  
  
Shishio. So you will be leaving later today. The sooner we get rid of Shishio, the better. Your  
  
supplies are almost ready and you will be going by horse. Kaoru, dress warmly."  
  
"Hai." she said softly.  
  
"We can't afford to have you die before you fulfill your duty."  
  
Aoshi's face muscles grew tight at such a remark and Soujirou's eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
"Now go, you may leave when you like. But do it before the day is over. Shishio must be  
  
crushed now."  
  
Kaoru waited till the others had filed out of the room and closed the doors behind her. She  
  
gave a butterfly touch on Aoshi's arm to calm him. Seeing her face, he eased down.  
  
"It's ok, Aoshi-sama."  
  
"That damned idiot."  
  
"Well, how about we leave in about an hour? We could cover a lot of distance if we ride as  
  
much as we can in the day."  
  
"Are you so eager to die?" Aoshi snapped.  
  
"She will not die while under my watch." Kenshin cut in.  
  
"You don't know anything." Aoshi muttered and walked away from the group, obviously  
  
peeved.  
  
Kaoru shook her head and started to walk to her room.  
  
"We should probably pack light if we want to move easier." she commented as Soujirou, Sano,  
  
Kenshin followed behind her.  
  
"Will you two be alright with leaving in less than an hour?" she asked.  
  
"All I need is my sword." Soujirou said cheerfully.  
  
"I don't know where I'll fit all my sake, cards, and other junk."  
  
"Sano, you will not need any of those things during the journey. The sake, I am sure you will  
  
be able to purchase on the road. And we will not have the time to gamble along the way. Just  
  
bring things you cannot do without." Kaoru issued sternly.  
  
"Ah, but Jou-chan, I can't live without my sake and cards."  
  
"I'm sure you can Sano, now stop fooling around."  
  
Sano gave a broad smile and reached his hand out to pat Kaoru's head. She ducked from his  
  
touch and moved several feet away.  
  
"Don't touch me, for God's sake, don't touch me."  
  
Sano rubbed the back of his head in embarassment.  
  
"Sorry Jou-chan, I forgot."  
  
"You must remember from now on to not touch me. All I need is the tiniest bit of skin and  
  
you're gone, and I don't want that to happen." she said in the most serious voice she could  
  
muster. Sano's laughing eyes toned down a little, but it didn't blow out the lifelike spark in his  
  
eyes.  
  
"I do remember, but Jou-chan, you can't live forever without the touch of another person."  
  
"I guess it's something I will have to deal with, if it means I won't have to kill anybody."  
  
Sano gave a sigh and put his hands behind his head.  
  
"Alright, I'll bend to your will and only take what's necessary, but girl, you're asking lot."  
  
"Just till the job is done, neh Sano-chan?"  
  
"Fine fine, I'll go start packing, Soujirou-Kenshin, take my place."  
  
Soujirou gave a smile as Sano opened the door to the bodyguard quarters. Kaoru turned her  
  
attention to Kenshin.  
  
"Do you intend to bring anything with you?"  
  
"I've got what I need. Hurry up and pack, the sooner the better."  
  
Something flickered in Kaoru's eyes so quickly that Kenshin wasn't quite able to catch what it  
  
was. But it was gone and she gave an empty smile, something very unlike her.  
  
"Yes, the sooner the better, isn't?" she said in such a quiet voice that he almost couldn't hear  
  
her. She opened her door and stepped inside but was pulled back quickly by Kenshin.  
  
"Bodyguards go in first."  
  
"Oh, I forgot."  
  
"Well, the next time you forget might be the end of your life." he said severely.  
  
"I said I forgot."  
  
Kenshin ignored her apology and looked carefully around the room. He opened the door  
  
wider to let Kaoru in. Soujirou stayed by Kenshin's side and watched Kaoru start to pack her  
  
things in a small bag.  
  
"You are being too critical with her." Soujirou stated.  
  
"So? She needs to learn."  
  
"She's never had bodyguards before, so she doesn't know."  
  
"That's a pitiful excuse."  
  
"It's a human one."  
  
With that said, Soujirou walked to Kaoru and started to help her pack. Kenshin was glowering  
  
at Soujirou's honest comment....and at himself. He knew. He knew she had never known the  
  
procedures bodyguards went through, and yet he tried to blame her. Blame her for her own  
  
innocence. Why couldn't he control himself anymore? He had had worse and certainly  
  
stupider clients than her but he always kept his cool and composed demeaner. It felt like she  
  
had taken every bit of patience in him and had replaced it with uncertainty. This every day  
  
struggle was becoming too much for him, and he hoped that the job would be over soon.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kaoru covered her face with her hands and gave a groan. Sano shrugged his shoulders and  
  
several bottles of sake clinked from the movement.  
  
"Sano! I said only what's necessary!" said Kaoru, her voice muffled by her hands.  
  
"Well Jou-chan, I looked over all my possessions and found that the only things I needed was  
  
my fists, my sake, and some cards to play at night."  
  
Kaoru dropped her hands slowly.  
  
"I give up. Let's just go, everything is ready."  
  
A servant held a greyish mare for Kaoru as she mounted. All the other bodyguards did the  
  
same on dark colored horses, ones that would blend better in the dim forest settings. At  
  
Kenshin's signal they started trotting down the driveway and out on to the road. Kaoru took  
  
one last look back at the cluster of sakura trees and gave a sigh. She could at least still see the  
  
sunsets and sunrises, she hoped.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Just when she was about to drop from exhaustion Kenshin finally stopped them. It was well  
  
past sunset and Kaoru had been too tired to look at it. Little mattresses were rolled out and  
  
Kaoru fell right into hers and slept without dinner. Aoshi quietly laid a blanket over her figure  
  
and took a place right next to her.  
  
"If you keep pushing her at this rate, we'll get to Shishio's fortress in a week." he said in a  
  
monotonous voice.  
  
"We need to get there as quickly as we can."  
  
Kenshin's eyes glimmered over the crackling fire as Aoshi's face withdrew completely.  
  
Soujirou took a spot right by a tree trunk and leaned against it, sword in his arms.  
  
"It would be best, gentlemen, to rest as much as we can. If we are to travel quickly then we  
  
need our energy." he said in a low tone, being ever the peacemaker.  
  
Saying that, Soujirou closed his eyes and started to meditate. Aoshi followed Soujirou's  
  
example and closed his eyes as well. Only Kenshin remained in keeping his eyes open. He  
  
watched the leaping flames while contemplating on Aoshi's odd behavior. He was always  
  
quick to anger whenever the conversation turned to killing Shishio. Did the idea of a  
  
soulsucker anger him that much? *No...he has an unbreakable faith to Kaoru, for some  
  
strange reason* He had figured out they must have met a while ago, but why so much loyalty  
  
to a little girl? This was suppose to be a simple mission, just a simple bodyguarding job. But  
  
why was there so much mystery surrounding a contemptible girl? *Perhaps.....perhaps there  
  
is more to the mission than I have been told*  
  
*alright alright, I'll try to start up some romance in the next chappie. meanwhile, review!! 


	5. An Understanding

An Understanding  
  
Morning greeted her with stiff muscles that seemed to ache everywhere. The fire had  
  
gone out and all of her bodyguards were already up and awake. She stretched gingerly,  
  
like a cat, and stood up. She was starting to fold her mattress when Aoshi took over.  
  
"Go get washed, I'll take over this while Soujirou goes with you."  
  
"Thanks Aoshi." she said gratifully. "Let's go Soujirou-chan."  
  
There was a small brook nearby and the water was icy cold, fresh from the mountains  
  
high up. She slipped off her gloves and splashed some on her face. Looking into her  
  
reflection she paused for a moment, experiencing a bout of melancholy. Death was but  
  
a few days away and she felt she had gotten little out of life. She had bravely marched  
  
through these past few months with her head up high. But as they drew closer to her  
  
final destination, she could feel regret. Regret of not making many friends, regret of  
  
having no family, regret of experiencing real love....it was the last one that really  
  
brought her down. Because of her....powers, people rarely came near her for fear of  
  
their lives. She had seen the looks of disgust on the males as other people told them  
  
who she was. A soul sucker. Why did that name have to breed so much fear and hate on  
  
her? It's not as if she went around trying to suck people's soul on purpose. Love was too  
  
far out of her reach, she just wish she didn't know it. Ignorance is bliss. A warm hand  
  
rested on her shoulder. She turned her head to see Soujirou standing right behind her.  
  
She opened her mouth to say something about the close contact but he shushed her  
  
with a hand. She gave a sigh and allowed the pleasure of contact soothe away her  
  
unhappiness. While she stared back at her reflection, Soujirou worriedly looked at her.  
  
His usual smile was gone now, replaced by a frown. *She is beginning to realize the  
  
heaviness of her burden* It was her burden to carry, and yet he wished he could help  
  
her endure such hardship. For now, he would comfort and help. Be a friend when none  
  
wanted to be. Perhaps that would be enough. But if she was to give up her life to save  
  
those of others, how justified would his actions be? And how could he repay her if she  
  
was to lie in death at the end?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Soujirou's worries lightened up as Sano made her laugh all day with jokes and teases. He  
  
and Aoshi tolerated all of this in their usual resolved way, but secretly inside they were  
  
both glad of Sano's lighthearted presence. The only cheerless person was Kenshin who  
  
innerly scowled at how content the group was. This was a mission that required total  
  
and complete seriousness and subtlety. Yet he could feel the ki of the others getting  
  
lighter instead of heavier with the important mission they were given. What were they  
  
feeling that he could not? Kaoru burst out in another fit of laughter as Sano related a  
  
time he had gone into the wrong bar.  
  
"Ah, Sano-kun" Kaoru said, wiping small tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.  
  
"I wish I could have known you sooner."  
  
Sano took a swig of his sake and grinned.  
  
"I don't know if you really want to be in the same situations as I have. Oy, leader, when  
  
are we stopping for dinner?" he called out to the front.  
  
"When we have covered enough ground for the day." Kenshin answered curtly.  
  
"When's enough?" Sano poked furthur. "Jou-chan here looks tired and that village up  
  
ahead is the perfect place for some rest."  
  
Kenshin was about to answer when all the bodyguards froze in the seat, weapons were  
  
out a split second later. Kaoru looked around her nervously as Kenshin silently  
  
motioned her to lean down. His amber eyes flashed to the right and was a blurry figure  
  
as he hopped off the horse and cut down an arrow aiming straight at Kaoru. The attack  
  
followed right after it, twenty men appearing out of nowhere and brandishing all kinds  
  
of weaponry.  
  
"Sano! Aoshi! Soujirou! Take Kaoru!" Kenshin shouted, cutting down several men with a  
  
single stroke. But they kept attacking, throwing themselves at the swordsman with a  
  
fierce desperation. Death was no matter to them, what was more important was a thin  
  
girl being led towards the village by two men. A few men slipped back into the forest,  
  
attempting to catch up to Kaoru. Kenshin noted this with boiling yellow eyes.  
  
"It ends now." He unleashed a Ryu Sou Sen only more broader so he could attack at  
  
least one vital point of every warrior around him. Without even waiting to see them fall,  
  
he sped off towards Kaoru. Sano, Aoshi, and Soujirou were lying fallen on the road  
  
though there was no appearance of a fight. Kenshin sniffed the air and could smell the  
  
remaining traces of sleeping gas. They went to far too many lengths to get them, it had  
  
to be Shishio's doing. With a sneer at such dishonorable tactics Kenshin slid out his  
  
sword. One of warrios was holding a katana's blade at Kaoru's throat, being careful not  
  
to touch her.  
  
"Put that sword back in, Battousai." Said the man holding the katana. "Or this soulsucker  
  
here dies."  
  
Kaoru didn't appear frightened at all but she looked tired and weary, as if something like  
  
this happened too often to her.  
  
"Kenshin..." She said softly. Her message was clear, don't screw up the mission, she still  
  
had to be alive. He angrily sheathed his sword and put two hands to show he wasn't  
  
going for his sword. He felt someone come up behind him and hit him in his shiatsu  
  
sleep spot with the hilt of a sword. The last thing he remembered was Kaoru's angry  
  
indignation on hitting people from behind. *Stupid girl*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Icy coldness seeped through the fabric of his clothes and through his body, but his  
  
head was lying on a warm and comfortable pillow. He opened his eyes to see Kaoru  
  
looking down. She gave a weak smile. "Welcome back."  
  
He quickly sat up and looked around him. A dungeon with two sentries standing  
  
diligently near the doors. The floor was thankfully dry but still biting cold.  
  
"Shishio's doing, I'm guessing. At least he hasn't killed us yet, there's still a good chance.  
  
I just need a little bit of skin and the war will be over." Kaoru said good humoredly with  
  
her stubborn optimism. "Is your head alright? I couldn't believe they did that, sneaking  
  
up behind you." Her eyes looked anxious at him. What was this....why was she acting  
  
worried about him?  
  
"I knew they were sneaking up behind me." He said, leaning his back against the chilly  
  
walls. His side felt empty without his sword and they had taken his hidden dagger as  
  
well.  
  
"Oh.....thank you for coming to rescue me."  
  
"It's my job."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I know, but I wanted to thank you anyway." She added quietly.  
  
"Did you think I was going to run away?" He asked her.  
  
"No, I just wanted to thank you. No strings attached. Just a simple thank you for  
  
coming. Why do you always do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Question people when their intentions are honorable."  
  
More silence.  
  
"Your welcome." He admitted gruffly.  
  
She gave a sigh from the darkness and asked no more questions. Damn, he was starting  
  
to feel guilty again, like he had hurt her feelings. Why did he care? He shouldn't. She was  
  
an assignment, but she had worried about him. Nobody had ever worried for him in his  
  
whole life. People were always so confident in his skills on the sword that they  
  
sometimes assumed that he was as immortal as the gods themselves. But he felt pain as  
  
well, and he got hurt like a normal human too.  
  
"If you could love me, would you?" she suddenly asked in a hushed tone.  
  
"What?" Kenshin asked, though his ears had never deceived him.  
  
"If you could love me, would you?" she repeated even softer from the darkness. His  
  
sharp eyes could see her figure perfectly, huddled against the cold stone wall. Spots of  
  
moonlight shone through the metal bars, confusing Kenshin's eyes from a girl to a  
  
goddess. He should say no, and tell her to stop asking such stupid questions...but  
  
something prevented him from doing so. Perhaps, just this once, he would stop  
  
deceiving himself. Stop being cold, stop being harsh....just stop being the imposter that  
  
he had been for the past ten years.  
  
"Why do you ask that?" he said softly, surprising Kaoru with his gentle tone. She gave a  
  
tiny smile in the dark light, one that he could feel pressing against his skin.  
  
"I'm beginning to see how real my mission is and that escape is impossible." Kaoru gave  
  
a shiver and he scooted from his spot to her side, trying to give her some of his warmth.  
  
She leaned against him gratifully, for once forgetting about the deadly power of her  
  
touch and loosing herself in the comfort of his.  
  
"Even though I am who I am, could you love me? Or will you push me away just like  
  
everybody else?" she continued, bending her head down to look at her hands. Those  
  
tiny white hands that could kill with the slightest touch.  
  
"I don't know." he answered truthfully. He would give his life for hers, but....he was her  
  
bodyguard, that was his job. He would protect her with all his being, this frail child that  
  
sat close to him, but that, too, was his job. He could feel the tiny sigh running through  
  
her body and he felt reprehensible for his answer.  
  
"Thank you." she murmured. "For your honesty. You are the first person I know who  
  
didn't deny me in their first breath."  
  
"Has everybody always feared you?" he suddenly asked, curious to know.  
  
"Fear, and hate. Nobody likes a person who can kill with just a touch. Aoshi-sama was  
  
the only person willing to protect me from the people."  
  
Kenshin's chest gave a pang. People feared him and hated him as well, terrified of how  
  
he could kill so easily. They weren't so different.  
  
"It's disappointing, knowing that the people you are trying to protect detest you at the  
  
same time." She said.  
  
"Then why save them?" He asked angrily, a question that had been puzzling him for all  
  
his years as a bodyguard. All the people offered was money, jewels, and girls. But never  
  
friendship or help.  
  
"Because they need to be saved." She stated plainly. "An ability like yours or mine may  
  
be used for death, but they can be used to save as well. We must trust that the hearts of  
  
these people will forge a better world through our own struggles. A war always brings  
  
out the worst in people, hope and loyalty fails due to despair. A few people must toil  
  
through death and blood for the sake of thousands. It's why we were made, our reason  
  
for living and breathing. You may not like your job-"  
  
"What makes you say that?" He interrupted.  
  
"I see it in your eyes." She continued on. "But you go on because it's what you do, a  
  
destiny of killing and protecting. I may not like it, but I respect your daily struggle to  
  
keep your humanity." He wanted to hold her hand or embrace her or....give some form  
  
of gratitude. 28 years of walking on this earth, and someone had finally understood  
  
him. Understood his mental fight against his inner hitokiri despite the mask he always  
  
wore.  
  
"Then what's your destiny?"  
  
"A destiny of untouchable love." The regret in her voice was unmistakable. "But maybe,  
  
just maybe, if the gods are kind, I might have a chance in the next life."  
  
"And if you don't?"  
  
"Then I will patiently bear the same duties again."  
  
"How do you do it? How do you hold on to hope?" He asked dejectedly. She wasn't able  
  
to answer for loud footsteps echoed in the stone hall outside. Kaoru reached into her  
  
kimono and swiftly pulled out a long dagger. She pressed it into Kenshin's hand and he  
  
placed it into his gi. The door clanked open and in stepped a tall man completely  
  
covered in bandages. He didn't even have to introduce himself, they could both feel the  
  
malice of his ki. Shishio gave a grin through an opening for his mouth then started to  
  
laugh loudly.  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
*Wow, I thought that last bit was actually kinda depressing. But after months of not updating, here it is! I think this story might be shorter than I planned. There might be two or three more chapters after this one, which will make this story my shortest one ever. And I didn't want to add a whole bunch of romance which proceeds to both of them falling in love with each other. Right now, they both don't love each other, at least not yet, though Kenshin is definitely getting some of those feelings. Kaoru was asking if he could love her because he doesn't seem as terrified of her as most people. Kinda like a last question before you die sort of thing. Anyways, thanks for reading and I hope you leave a long and meaningful review on your thoughts of the story so far. 


	6. Faithless Actions

Author's Notes: Yes, this story is almost over, just one more chapter after this one! So enjoy and review!!  
  
Faithless Actions  
  
___________________________________________________________________   
  
"How cruel and wondrous fate can be." Shishio said in the midst of his laughter. "That it hands Battousai and the supposed last weapon right into my hands, to do as I please." The laughter that had been dying down crescendoed into crazy bursts of sound. Kaoru winced just the tiniest bit and Kenshin immediately moved in front of her, putting himself between Shishio and him. Shishio stopped his laughing and looked down at the two with disgust.  
  
"Why do you protect her, Battousai, when she can kill faster than you?" He snapped his fingers and two burly guards appeared with sharp blades in their hands. They surrounded Kenshin with the blades pointed at his throat, motioning him to stand up. He tensed his right arm's muscles just a tiny bit, getting ready to use Kaoru's blade but Shishio felt the movement of his muscles.  
  
"Oh no, Battousai, you don't want to attack my men, not when I have another with a blade at her back." A shadow melted from the corner with a dark stained dagger pointed at Kaoru. "You can leave alive or dead, it really doesn't matter to me. But you don't want to fail at your job, do you? Not when so much is at stake."  
  
Kenshin gave a feral growl as he was pushed outside, turning his head to catch a last glimpse of Kaoru. She flashed her cheerful smile and the dungeon's door slammed shut. He was knocked on the head again and when he awoke a few minutes later he found himself in another cell with several other figures.  
  
"Kenshin?! Where's Kaoru?" Sano shook Kenshin shoulders only to be knocked against the wall by furious hands.  
  
"Shishio has her." He said angrily and pushed Sano away. "But he won't kill her."  
  
"And how the hell do you know?!" Sano yelled while he kicked at iron bars of their cell.  
  
"Sano, calm down, he's right." Aoshi said from the corner he was leaning against. "Shishio isn't stupid, which makes him all the more dangerous. He'll use Kaoru at just the right moment, there is no doubt of that."  
  
"You think so too?" Soujirou called out quietly. "Time is pressing too close for us, we should get out of here now and report to the boss."  
  
"Are you abandoning your duty?" Kenshin asked dangerously. Soujirou's heavy stare weighed down the air of the cell.  
  
"Our duty was to protect her till she reaches Shishio, there is nothing else we can do now except to rejoin the rest of the soldiers for the coming battle." Soujirou's words were clear. Kenshin neatly threw Kaoru's blade at Soujirou who caught it with deft fingers. He swiftly slashed at the iron bars and Sano caught the falling pieces of metal before it could clatter to the ground. A guard was knocked unconscious and the bodyguards all narrowed their eyes, one guard for four of the most powerful warriors of the war? Sano gave a chuckle, tucked his hands behind his head, and began to saunter to the entrance.  
  
"Well, at least we know we are expected to escape, Shishio hasn't completely underestimated us so far." Sano stated as the four stealthily moved out of the fortress. But not a single mind strayed from their prime focus, Kaoru.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I'm not afraid of you." She said bravely, and she meant every word as she looked into Shishio's face. He gave a malicious grin and moved close to her so that she could feel the heat from his bandaged body. She was tempted to take a step back but she couldn't falter now. She moved her hands up for the kill but what he said next stopped her.  
  
"Really? And you know what? I believe you. But you will be very afraid later on, for yourself and another." He scrutinized her very closely than whirled around and stepped out of the dungeon. "Take the young girl to one of our lovely suites and watch her like a hawk."  
  
The man holding the knife at her back pressed dangerously close and Kaoru began following one of the men out of the cell.  
  
"What do you intend to do with me?" She called out to Shishio.  
  
"You will win the war for me." He cackled before he disappeared around a corner.  
  
"I would never work for you!" She shouted before the man pressed the tip of the knife into her back. They led her down a series of stone hallways until they finally came upon an aged shoji door. Expecting another filthy dungeon Kaoru braved herself for Shishio's lovely suite. To her surprise, she was surrounded by floral scented fabrics decorating a richly furnished set of rooms. The shoji was slammed behind her and Kaoru could hear the sound of her guards taking their place right by the door. Taking a quick glance around, she could see there were no windows to escape from. With a glum face, she sat down on a Turkish couch and awaited what could be her destined fate.  
  
But what Shishio said disturbed her, why did he say she would win the war for him? And why did she stop to touch him? She roughly shook her head, she was such an idiot. Her chance at ending the war and it slipped through her fingers.  
  
She could feel it, more intense than before. Her death. It wouldn't be too long now and unpleasant aspects of her life flashed before her eyes in dull color. Memories of being shunned, faces filled with barely contained disgust... a world surrounded in an impenetrable barrier of death and life.  
  
For just a minute, even a few seconds, she wished she could embrace someone and feel that beautiful warmth of a pair of arms tightly holding her body, keeping it from falling to the ground in heavy sorrow. Ordinary people didn't realize the treasure they had, being able to touch and feel with fearing the taking of a life. Something so simple, and they couldn't see.  
  
She wasn't scared before, but now she felt that buoyant hope from before fading away. Her loneliness was unbearably sharp and painful and she buried her face in her hands. She was losing faith.  
  
"Save me Kenshin." She sobbed into her hands.  
  
~*~  
  
The sounds of crashing metal and agony filled screams struck the air like a resolute bell, ringing the time of death and pain. Soldier after soldier fell with streaks of blood staining their bodies but none had the time to mourn as those who survived threw themselves even fiercer into the fight. But there looked to be no end. Both armies were evenly matched and the generals standing in the background could see it. However, this was not a test of size but a test of will. Which army would be the most desperate and triumph over the other?  
  
Meanwhile, Kenshin had lost himself in the dance of war. Gracefully slicing at soldiers in perfect arcs, he moved in a gliding pattern that could have been called beautiful if it weren't for the frighteningly cold amber eyes that stared past every face that was cut down. He couldn't see anything before him and it was only his body that was awake, stabbing and cutting at encompassing beings that had the unfortunate luck of being too close. Specks of blood mixed with sweat stained his tense face as he grew closer and closer to the heart of the battle. He could feel his four comrades loosing themselves as well in the beauty of war but they were irrelevant to his mind as it searched desperately for the soothing energy he craved.  
  
There. He had found it. Standing far off behind the enemy army, he had found his energy. Her blue hair glimmered in the oppressive darkness and it called out like a beacon to him. Now he was moving as a warrior with purpose. His slashes were quicker and lighter, slaughtering handfuls by just one swing. His arm was growing tired but still he pursued the blue hair that threatened to blind him altogether. He had to protect his responsibility. He had given his word, and by kami, he would keep it even if it meant death.  
  
But wait...death...he hadn't fully thought of that up till now. Death meant an ending to everything. He wouldn't have to feel disgust or hate or even sorrow. He would disappear into the darkness that consumed everything. But was his death the answer to everything? Maybe...did he want to live? But live for what?  
  
All questions faded away when he finally appeared before a sloped hill with Shishio and Kaoru standing at the top, looking down at him. He could feel himself silently seething at how close Kaoru was to the bandaged man. Hand on his trusted sword, he walked up the mild slope till he was face to face with the man that had started it all. But this time, Shishio gave no mocking laugh. Instead, a cruel look of knowing tainted his partly covered face. With apprehension tensing every muscle in his body Kenshin only stood, waiting for the right moment and he knew that Shishio was doing the same as well.  
  
"So, Battousai, how many of my worthless men have you killed today?" Shishio drawled while drawing an arm around Kaoru's frail shoulders. He didn't flinch at the touch and only drew her closer to his side. "You may be their weapon, but I'd like you to meet mine. This thing here will change the tide of this war to my favor."  
  
Kaoru gave a barely noticeable wince and only tipped her head high. "I'm not doing anything for you. And I'm not a thing."  
  
"Enough, you'll see when this war is won." Shishio hissed and pushed Kaoru aside while whipping out his own sword. In a blurred movement, he attacked Kenshin who blocked just in time before returning the attack himself. But within the first few seconds, he knew that his chances of winning were slim. His arms were already tired from the previous battle while Shishio had stayed in the back and merely observed.  
  
"A little slow today, Battousai? Maybe it's because you know deep down that you will not live to see the dawn." Shishio gave a quick thrust that Kenshin couldn't escape in time and a deep gash appeared on his right arm. Quickly switching the sword to his left hand, Kenshin didn't answer but only calculated his enemy's moves. He was a millisecond slower with his left arm, but a millisecond would be all the time Shishio needed to cut him down. And he felt himself getting more tired, as if the adrenaline high he had lived off of earlier was seeped away. Being the stupid fool that he was, he shot a glance at Kaoru who was worriedly looking at him. He barely contained a pained cry as Shishio's blade slid neatly into his left shoulder. With a swift blow, Shishio kicked Kenshin in the face and made him fall back.  
  
"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried out and stumbled down the slope to run to him. Shishio stopped her with a blade at her throat. He roughly grabbed her and pulled her intimately close to his body.  
  
"Let me go!" Kaoru fought his grasp but he pressed the blade deep enough so that a small trickle of blood slid down her throat.  
  
Kenshin glared angrily at Shishio as he struggled to stand.  
  
"Oh no, Battousai. Don't try to get up, both your arms face heavy wounds and I know you are already tired from battling soldiers just to get to her. But then again, you know that, don't you?"  
  
Kenshin spat out the blood in his mouth and stood anyway, switching his sword back to his right arm. The pain was going to make it difficult for him to move fast enough, but he had to try. He never went back on his responsibilities. Shishio gave an exasperated sigh as he lovingly pressed the blade close to Kaoru's throat.  
  
"And so begins the real battle of the war, but it won't be between you and I. I suggest you put the blade down, Battousai, before you make me do something I'm rather adverse to do."  
  
Kenshin threw himself at Shishio, who sleekly blocked his attacks while still holding on to Kaoru. In an easy manner, Shishio sliced Kenshin at the chest, a splatter of blood spurting up in a crimson fountain. Kenshin fell in a heap on the ground, his sword laying not too far away. This couldn't be the end for him, he had to save her. She was his responsibility and he had to protect her with his life. His mind was screaming at him to stand up and fight, but his body wasn't moving. There was a steady drip near his ears as blood fell from his chest in quiet patters. Throwing his own blade away, Shishio turned Kaoru around to face him.  
  
"Now it's your turn." He slipped the bandages off his face, revealing a face covered in masses of burn scars. His cold eyes were the only things left unscathed in that mess of old wounds. Kaoru tried not to flinch at the sight of them. "Have you ever wondered why those generals over there decided to burn me instead of properly engaging me in a duel? Those filthy cowards who decided to let their underlings do the work instead of facing ME, man to man?"  
  
"N-no." Kaoru whispered in fear as a crazed hate began to fill Shishio's eyes.  
  
"You were lied to when they said that you were the last soulsucker on earth. There are two, not one." He began to smile, his lips stretching in a grotesque grin.  
  
"You?" She asked in disbelief. "But they told me-"  
  
"Lies, my dear Kaoru! All lies! You're nothing but a second rate soulsucker compared to me. I'm the original, the last of my clan. The government sent second rates like you to kill off my men and families, but I was the only one that prevailed. Nothing on this earth can kill me, not even touching another person will result in my death, well, except you perhaps." He laughed. "But you won't be able to kill me."  
  
"Wait, if there is no way to kill you and the government knew, why did they send me?" Kaoru asked.  
  
"My life lies in your hands, and here's your chance. Go on, touch me, like the government ordered you to. Sacrifice nobly for saving Japan, that's what you were told, weren't you?"  
  
"Why are you so eager to die?" She asked.  
  
"Die? Who said anything about dying?" Shishio joked and gave another laugh. "I'll share a secret with you, since you'll be taking it to the grave. A true soulsucker is able to take in the souls of not only mortals but other soulsuckers and be given power for each soul taken in." He reached his own hand out to touch her cheek. "You're mine." He whispered into her ear.  
  
"No!" Kenshin shouted. Shishio turned his head toward him, his hand frozen in the air.  
  
"Don't you ever just fall and die?" He asked, annoyance in his voice. "Too late now Battousai."  
  
Three things took place simultaneously. Shishio touched Kaoru's cheek, Kaoru touched his, and Kenshin raced towards the two. A terrifying wind swept across the battlefield and every soldier stopped in their tracks, feeling a horrible sensation of something pulling at their souls. Every head turned towards the source of the wind that tried to drag everything into a strange vortex. A shriek tore at the silence and the wind disappeared as quickly as it had come.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
CookyButtButt: thanks! I wish I could have stretched this story out longer, it doesn't have the amount of romance that I wanted it to have. But oh well, only one chapter left now...  
  
Aharah Musici: wow, really? I thought I was rushing it a little in the end. But I'm glad you think its going at a good pace  
  
Falcon's Riddle: well, only one more chapter left and then this story will be complete! And then I can spend more time concentrating on all my other stories  
  
CurlsofSerenity: I thought of that too, but I introduced different levels of soulsuckers in this chappie. Shishio is the pure soulsucker, while Kaoru is on a lower level than him, meaning Shishio has different powers than Kaoru. Like being able to survive the touch of other humans. 


	7. Destiny

Destiny

* * *

His open wounds were screaming in pain but he pushed all feeling aside except for fear. That shriek had come from Kaoru and he had heard the desperate agony behind it. However it was too late to change what had so suddenly been cemented in eternity. He retrieved the last speck of energy he had into standing up and trudging over the hill, his fingers clinging desperately to the wounds that were overfilling with crimson blood. Each step was torture as he spotted a mane of blue hair scattered wildly across the dirt ground. Shishio was a crumbled heap next to her with no signs of life. Kenshin dropped to his knees before her and reached a trembling finger out to teach her cheek. He flinched when he remembered blood was on his hands and her white cheek was stained with the fluid. Then his blood ran cold when he realized that he was touching her skin but was still alive.

The mission- he furiously shook his head. No! The mission didn't matter now, _she_ was dead. Never to fight with him or have that angry glint of defiance or to laugh joyously like there was no tomorrow. He would never see those eyes again; eyes that had seen and suffered so much loneliness that death had bound her empty soul the day she was born. Was this the destiny that Kaoru had prepared herself with? Destined to die, destined to live with the hate of the people, destined to bring death. He felt like a fool now, telling her that the mission must proceed, that she was merely an assignment. What she must have heard from his foul mouth was that her death must proceed, that she was merely an empty shell owned by the people and not herself. He wished he could apologize for all that he had done to her.

His chest began to clench and unclench in a pain he had never experience in his life. It was no injury he had ever felt before and his breath came out in shaky puffs of air at the agony. His hand unconsciously went to his heart and he looked at his chest in bewilderment. Another pain began to attack him, this time at his eyes. They burned like acid and his whole world grew blurry. Something warm splattered on his arm and he stared at the droplet that had fallen from his eyes.

"Ah." He said out loud. He began to laugh, weak sounds that crawled out of his aching throat.

He was crying.

* * *

He walked towards his destiny once more, but something was different. This time, his sword wasn't anticipating its ritual of blood and death and his eyes weren't calculating an enemy's position. There were no longer assignments or missions waiting for him beyond. People still gave him a wide berth but many held reverent eyes for the person who single handedly destroyed the evil that had plagued their land. In their hopeful eyes, he was their savior and the higher levels of government couldn't tell them that the real savior of their land was a young girl who had lived a life of death. An image of her face flashed in his mind and he didn't fight it off. He reveled in the memories of her and the crowd of people around him all looked in awe of the gentle smile that had overcome the warrior.

He remembered his journey and he continued to walk. A lonely bridge greeted him, he had reached the border of the capital. The wind sighed around him and blew dust in his eyes. He rubbed his sleeves across his face and when he opened his eyes he quickly closed them.

"It's alright, it's just me." A voice full of laughter called out.

He was thinking of her again, the memories were so strong this time that he could actually hear her voice.

"Don't be silly, open your eyes! It's me!" She called out.

A dream then. It was another one of his dreams at night, the ones that made him wish he could dream his life away.

"Kenshin." The voice said sternly. "Open your eyes."

He obeyed and blinked the darkness away to see Kaoru sitting daintily on the bridge's post. She was so alive…and so real. Her blue eyes were as light as the sky itself and sparkled with happiness. Her cheeks were flushed with energy and her smile made him lose all feeling of his body.

"K-Kaoru?" He said tentatively.

"Baka! Of course it's me!" She giggled.

He took a step closer but she shook her head.

"No, it's against the rules for you to come close." She said with touch of the old sadness in her voice.

"Rules?"

"Now, you listen closely!" She said with the air of a mother speaking to her child. "I don't have much time so I have to make this short. Kami-sama was kind enough to give me a bit of time to say my goodbyes."

"You're not alive?" He asked desperately. He had frozen in his place, not wanting her to disappear before his eyes again. Only his eyes and mouth moved now.

She shook her head with a smile. "I told you before, I was never meant to live. But I don't have enough time to explain everything. I just wanted to say thank you for protecting me and saving me."

"Saving you?" He cried out. "I couldn't stop Shishio from-"

She shushed him with a hand.

"I did what I was destined to do. And Kenshin, you did save me. You gave me the hope to defeat Shishio." She looked down at her lap. "I was hesitant before you came. I thought I could save myself with the same magic working against me but all I found in the books were my impending death. I began to wonder why I should save the very people who had shunned me all my life. Then suddenly, you came along." She looked up at him and gave a shy grin. "You made me angry, annoyed, irritated, and the list just keeps going on. The point is, you made me _feel_. I was more inhuman than you were before we met. I didn't care and I didn't lift my head to see farther than my fate. You _saved_ me."

Her eyes began to brim with tears and she quickly wiped at her eyes.

"It's time for me to go now, or else I'll start to blubber like a baby."

He couldn't find his voice to beg her to stay, if not for a few more minutes. He wanted to run to her and hold her, to feel the warmth of her body next to his. She hopped down from the post with the look of a daredevil. Two bright lights appeared out of thin air and flickered angrily at her but she brushed them away with a hand. She vanished and then appeared right before him. Her fingers floated above his cheeks and a soft kiss brushed across his lips. She gave a sigh and her body began to take on the same substance as the flickering lights beside her.

"Now my life is complete." She laughed as she disappeared from him once more. He stared blankly at where she was once standing and then released a sigh of his own. He tightened the straps to the traveling bag on his back and readied himself to continue on his journey. An angel had blessed him today and he could already feel the promise of a new life.

* * *

Author's Notes: yup, it's over now. Sniff, it was a short story and I really wish I could have spent more time on it but now I have to work on all my other stories. I hope you guys liked it, even though it was a super short chapter. Eh, also, I was reading back on a few chapters and I noticed that I left some things not quite explained (argh). Ah well, I started this when I was young and inexperienced, what else can I expect?

Twilight Sky: Thanks! I really wanted to do more with the plot, but I had intended to make this a short story from the beginning, which didn't leave me enough room to put in enough romance. I guess this will be a short semi-angst story then.

Thanks for reading Prince Aoshi, Emumoon, athenis, sweety, onnie, Aharah Musici, , XxSilentxDreamerxX, and Jisusaken!!!


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